The Love That You've Been Looking For
by sportsnightnut
Summary: PG because of terminology that Dana tends to use. :) Other than that, a story that wil hopefully keep you reading that focuses on the tales surrounding Dana and Casey.


My first Sports Night fanfic..I mean, I've written hypothetical paragraphs, but this is my first real multiple page story. I hope ya'll like it, because I've spent some good time on this. Reviews and feedback and constructive criticism are much appreciated.....and enjoy chapter one!  
  
The Love That You've Been Looking For My Dana-Casey story  
  
"Sixty seconds to VTR, everybody!" Dave said.   
"Where's Casey?!" Dana suddenly exclaimed, seeing Dan sitting solo at the desk.   
"Trying to avoid Danny," Natalie replied, unwrapping a sucker.  
"Well, somebody, go get him!" Dana cried. "We need two news anchors to do a show!" Everyone turned to look at Jeremy.  
Jeremy hopped off his chair and ran through the newsroom. He met Casey halfway. "Casey, come on! You have 20 seconds to get in there and get your mic on! You're lucky Danny has most of the teaser tonight! And not to mention what Alyson is thinking right now, with none of your makeup done.  
Casey didn't want to hear it. He had just found out that Dana and Gordon were engaged. All of his hopes had been thrown in the trash. He cared about Dana too much to let her marry a jerk like Gordon. He ran into the studio, sat down in the chair, hurriedly clipped on his mic, and gave the sincerest looking smile to the camera.  
"Good evening, from New York City I'm Dan Rydell alongside Casey McCall..." The teaser was going fine until Casey's line. Sitting there like a total idiot, his mind drew a blank. What was he supposed to say? He was too distracted to remember. Back in the control room, Dana looked up from her computer screen to see Casey sitting there in silence.   
"What the hell is he doing?!" Dana cried. Natalie spoke quietly into Dan's ear piece. "Take it for him, would you?  
"And as Orlando Rojas comes off his hiatus, we're gonna show you his amazing comeback. All that and more coming up after this, you're watching Sports Night on CSC, so stick around!  
"We're out," Will said.  
"90 seconds back," Dave replied.  
Dana threw her headset on top of her keyboard. "I don't know what he just did, but whatever it is, he's gonna be sorry." She stormed into the studio. "Casey, what the hell was that? I mean really, what was that? Are you trying to be funny? Because it's not working. There's a teleprompter right there. Tell me, what was that?  
Casey looked up at Dana, disgusted. "You can't tell me you don't know why I'm distracted.  
"Oh, I think I can. Why are you distracted, Casey? I don't know. Actually, right this second, I don't care. Just get it back together, and do it fast. We're back in 15 seconds, and you have the first highlight. Get it together.  
The door to the control room shut with a loud snap as Dana stormed back to her seat.  
As the show's closing credits showed up on the network feed and the monitors before her, Dana calmly removed her headset. She walked into the studio, arms crossed, belligerent and ready to fight. Casey and Dan were still not on speaking terms (only the lord knew why) and they were sitting there in silence, removing their mics and earpieces. Dana sat on the edge of the desk and looked into Casey's eyes. "Now I want to know why you're distracted. What's going on? Why you misread the teleprompter at least three times tonight. Why you screwed up the teaser. Tell me, Casey, I want to know." She was calm, and the tone in her voice told Casey that she would show at least a little sympathy. Or at least he hoped.  
"Well, Dana, I hope you can understand what I'm about to tell you," he said simply. "I screwed up because I was preoccupied with other things. I was distracted. Why? Natalie accidentally spilled the beans on you, Dana. She told me you and Gordon were engaged right before the show. But what I will not tell you is why I am upset about this. That's between...well, let's just say that's something I have to keep to myself for now. And if I am any kind of man, I cannot, in good conscience, let this wedding happen. There is no way I would ever stand to see it. That's all I have to say to you right now, Dana, do you understand?"  
She was speechless. "A- and does this have anything to do with the fact that my anchors are not on speaking terms?  
Dan spun around in his chair and unfolded his arms. "No, Dana, it does not. I don't want to interfere with your engagement plans because that's not what I do. You don't need to know what I think. There's already one person that's told you he thinks it's a bad idea. I don't need to tell you what I think; you know it in your heart because you've known me long enough. Casey and I aren't speaking because he's driving me insane, and that's all there is to it. I'm going back to my office now. If Rebecca comes into the studio, let her know where I am. She should be here soon." And with that, he stood up and left. Casey and Dana sat there and stared at each other.   
"So you don't want to see me with Gordon?" she asked.  
"In no way," Casey answered, standing up and walking out of the studio, leaving Dana to sit in silence. Rebecca came into the studio, finding Dana sitting on the edge of the desk, silent tears falling down her face. "Dana, are you okay?" Rebecca asked, knowing the obvious answer. Dana shook her head. "Can I do anything for you?" Rebecca asked quietly.  
  
"Not really. I just need to... reevaluate my relationships, I guess. Danny's in his office." "Thanks, Dana. And let me know if I can do anything for you." She reached out to rub her shoulder before going to find Dan.  
  
Casey was sitting at the desk in the office that he and Dan shared. Dan was stretched out on the couch and neither of them were talking, probably because Casey was still annoying Dan.  
  
Rebecca knocked on the open door. "Hey, Danny!  
  
"Rebecca, hey! Ready?" Dan asked, sitting up and reaching for his coat.  
  
"Only if you are," she replied, smiling warmly.  
  
He shrugged his coat on and went over to her, taking her hand. "Let's go." Casey clicked his pen to the beat of the song in his head. He'd been humming it since he'd arrived at the office that morning, and only now did he realize why.  
  
We've been together since way back when Sometimes I never wanna see you again But I want you to know After all these years You're still the one I want whisperin' in my ear....  
  
Dana.  
  
They'd known each other since college. They'd had such big fights that they had never wanted to see each other again. But he still wanted her whispering in his ear every night...whether it was "Get it together now, McCall' or "Sttand by 22' or "Nice job, Casey!'. He wanted her whispering in his ear. He didn't want to be mad at her. He didn't want her to hate him.  
  
Still the one I wanna talk to in bed Still the one That turns my head We're still havin' fun And you're still the one  
  
He could remember those late nights when he had been curled up in bed, just talking on the phone with Dana. She always turned his head- she was beautiful. What was he going to do? Gordon was out of the picture. The wedding was not going to happen, and Casey would go to any measure to make sure of that. 


End file.
